The first set of 2022 NFL draft projections from The Ringer are fresh off the presses. Veteran analyst Danny Kelly goes through the first round with a mock that strikes a familiar note for the Lions at the top before going in a very new direction at the bottom of the first round.
After slotting Alabama OT Evan Neal to Jacksonville at No. 1, Kelly projects the Lions to take Michigan EDGE Aidan Hutchinson. That’s the most common 1-2 projection in current mocks, and it makes sense to roll with the consensus until the scouting combine at the beginning of March.
It’s the selection at No. 32 overall, the one acquired from the Rams, where Kelly steps in a new direction. His projection for Detroit’s second selection is Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder.
Not many mocks have projected Ridder to the Lions, and he’s usually on the board for Detroit at both 32 and 34 (when mocks extend to the second round).
Ridder is a worthy gamble at this spot for the Lions. He may need some time to acclimate to the NFL after playing against inferior competition at Cincinnati, but with Jared Goff under contract for 2022, Detroit can bring their rookie quarterback along slowly. Ridder has all the tools to develop into a franchise quarterback.
Ridder had an up-and-down week during Senior Bowl practices while playing for the National team, coached by the New York Jets. He does have intriguing upside and athletic tools and is a proven winner for the Bearcats, so traveling up I-75 a couple hundred miles is not such a bad idea.
Most of the mock drafts that have projected a quarterback to Detroit have featured Malik Willis or Matt Corral, so seeing Ridder offers up a fresh idea that’s worth considering.
